Qatar Announces Visa-FREE Entry to 80 Nationalities
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SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017 THULQADA 18, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Amir’s US visit Nearly 60,000 73% of Kuwait’s Syrian new strategic evacuated population has Ghazal leaps cooperation after China bank accounts: over admin chapter:2 Envoy quake kills9 19 CBK17 governor barriers14 Qatar announces visa-free Min 35º Max 49º entry to 80 nationalities High Tide 01:59 & 12:59 Low Tide Gulf diplomatic crisis splits families, dashes dreams 07:27 & 20:14 32 PAGES NO: 17302 150 FILS DOHA: Qatar, isolated by its neighbors in a diplomatic Amiri envoy hands letter to Qatar Emir crisis, yesterday introduced a visa-free entry programme Saudi forces for 80 nationalities to stimulate air transport and tourism. “The visa exemption scheme will make Qatar raze Awamiya the most open country in the region,” tourism depart- ment official Hassan Al-Ibrahim told a news conference in Doha. Interior ministry official Mohamed Rashed Al- old quarter Mazrouei said that nationals of 80 countries would only need to present a valid passport for entry to the energy- AWAMIYA, Saudi Arabia: A security campaign rich Gulf state which is to host football’s 2022 World Cup. against gunmen in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia The waiver program, which came into immediate has reduced dozens of buildings in the town of effect, benefits countries of the European Union’s Awamiya to husks and seen thousands of residents Schengen zone, other Western states, Latin American flee. Security forces have been trying for three and Asian nations, including India. Lebanon is the only months to flush out gunmen behind years of attacks Arab country in the list published at the end of the on police in the small town of around 30,000 that has news conference, although the six-nation Gulf been the center of protests. Cooperation Council of which Qatar is a member Journalists on a government tour of the town yes- already allows freedom of movement by its nationals. terday were the first outside witnesses of the damage Nationals of 33 countries will now be authorized to wrought by the rare battle in the tightly controlled reside in Qatar for 180 days and the other 47 states list- kingdom, a key Western ally and the world’s top oil ed for up to 30 days, periods which are renewable a sin- exporter. Reporters escorted by special forces in gle time. Mazrouei said the countries were selected on armored vehicles saw streets in Awamiya’s old quarter the basis of security and economic considerations, or transformed into a war zone a world away from the for the buying power of their nationals. sparkling cityscapes elsewhere in the energy-rich Gulf. Qatar Airways chief Akbar Al-Baker said his carrier, There was no fighting during the tour. Rusted-out cars which this year plans to extend its network to 62 new lay half-flattened next to eviscerated homes pocked destinations, would be a primary beneficiary. “This his- with hundreds of bullet holes. Graffiti blared along one toric announcement comes at time of historic signifi- rubble-strewn street. cance while some countries in the region have decided Fighting picked up this month when elite forces DOHA: Envoy of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime to close their skies and their borders, Qatar has instead joined an operation that authorities began in May to Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, delivers a written letter to opened its borders,” he said. On Aug 3, Qatar created a tear down the old quarter, known as Al-Musawara, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani yesterday. The letter has bearing on the latest regional new permanent residents status for certain groups of Continued on Page 11 and international developments and several issues of mutual interest. — KUNA foreigners, including those who have worked for the Continued on Page 11 LOCAL THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017 KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Al-Sabah meets with Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Ali meets with His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al- meets with First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Al-Ghanem. —KUNA Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Amir receives top state officials KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Bayan Palace yesterday Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem. His Highness the Amir also received His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as well as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. — KUNA NEW YORK: His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah waves goodbye as he prepares to leave VIENNA: His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber New York yesterday. — KUNA Al-Sabah is welcomed upon his arrival to the Austrian capital Vienna. Crown Prince arrives in Vienna KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrived yesterday in the His Highness the Crown Prince flew to Vienna from New York where he underwent regular medical Austrian capital Vienna on a private visit. He was received at the airport by Deputy Chief of the Kuwait checkups. His Highness Sheikh Nawaf was seen off by Kuwait’s Ambassador to Washington Sheikh Salem National Guard Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Austria Sadeq Marafie, Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Permanent Delegate to the United Nations headquarters in New York and other Kuwaiti diplomats. Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, and other diplomats. — KUNA Amir’s US visit new strategic cooperation chapter: US Envoy KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah ty, which is continued. But also security when it Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s upcoming US visit comes to our joint; and separate, efforts, to fight will open a new chapter of multi-faceted strate- terrorism and terrorism financing.” gic ties and cooperation, while Washington was Furthermore, Silverman said “we are also throwing its weight behind Kuwait’s mediation making progress in issues related to trade and in ‘intra-GCC’ political dispute, a US diplomat investment, in both directions, in addition to said. His Highness the Amir’s next month visit to education; a fundamental part of our relation- Washington DC, the fourth since his assumed ship, with five generation of Kuwaitis who have office in 2006, will take place as Kuwait’s head of studied in American universities and colleges. “It state continues his mediation efforts to solve the is really one of the foundation blocks of our rela- Gulf dispute. tion, as part of the dialogue would be discussing His Highness the Amir’s mediation in the possibilities in even furthering this cooperation. ‘intra-GCC’ political dispute is highly praised and So, it is the whole gambit of relations.” supported, US Ambassador to the State of KUWAIT: Kuwait Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Mohammad Al-Khedhr Kuwait Lawrence Silverman said. He made the Strategic dialogue meets with head of International Policy and Planning for the United Kingdom’s remarks during an exclusive interview on the On the strategic dialogue, Silverman said it is Ministry of Defense David Hogan Hern. — KUNA heels of retired US Marine Corps general and ex- basically a ‘government-to-government’ cooper- CENTCOM Commander-in-Chief Anthony Zinni’s ation. “The Dialogue would also have an impact recent visit to Kuwait to reiterate support and on the business and private sectors, in a bid to discuss Kuwait’s efforts in resolving the ongoing enhance trade and investment in both direc- feud between Qatar and another four Arab tions. “In this vein, we have about $3 billion in countries. This is Zinni’s first leg of a tour that trade in each direction. I know that Kuwait will also take him to Jeddah, Manama, the UAE wants more foreign investments here, including and Cairo in addition to Doha. KUWAIT: US Ambassador to the State of American investments, through their attempt to The US Administration had expressed sup- Kuwait Lawrence Silverman speaks dur- address various issues to streamline business- port and appreciation of Kuwait’s mediation making in Kuwait. “because we want to see an end to this dispute ing an exclusive interview. — KUNA “Whether it is cutting through the red tape as quickly as possible,” for the sake of the region, (bureaucracy), or having even more transparen- Silverman noted. Since early summer, Kuwait, Strategic partnership cy in the process of tendering for government supported by regional and international parties, His Highness the Amir paid official visits to contracts,” among other related issues. Another have been mediating to solve the rift between Washington DC in 2006, 2009 and 2013. He also very important aspect of the trade discussion is Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and participated in a GCC-US summit in Camp David the protection of intellectual property rights, he Egypt on one side and Qatar on the other. in May 2015. “We are extremely pleased that His noted. “It is not only about American, but also Highness is honoring us with the visit,” noted Kuwaiti intellectual property rights, as Kuwaitis Global leader Silverman regarding His Highness the Amir’s are impacted by this as well, where a Kuwaiti However, Silverman carried on saying, that September 7 scheduled visit to Washington DC, filmmaker, musician or poet, in addition to local this was not the only area that Kuwait has been pointing out that this visit was planned before software developers, need to know that they active in.